Lenawee County jobless rate falls in August

Friday

Sep 28, 2012 at 1:00 PM

By Daily Telegram staff

ADRIAN — Lenawee County’s jobless rate fell to 8.8 percent in August after bouncing to 10.5 percent in July. There was an estimated gain of 592 jobs in the county over the month, according to reports released Thursday by Michigan Department of Technology, Management & Budget.

“It’s very positive news,” said Jim Van Doren, executive director of the Lenawee Economic Development Corp. “We attribute a large share of that to the automotive industry.”

Vehicle sales predicted to be in the 12 million range are instead reaching 14 million, said Tim Robinson, LEDC director of operations. Automakers are boosting orders from suppliers in Lenawee County to keep up with the demand, he said, and the jolt should be felt throughout the local economy.

“In talking to most of our companies, they’re all doing very, very well,” Van Doren said. Parts suppliers in Lenawee County are also benefiting from picking up business from companies elsewhere that did not survive the recession, he said.

Unemployment rates fell in all of Michigan’s 17 major labor markets, according to Thursday’s reports.

“Regional jobless rates fell in August mostly due to seasonal labor force reductions. Fewer unemployed workers actively sought employment in August while summer and seasonal hiring waned from the July peak,” said Rick Waclawek, director of the Bureau of Labor Market Information & Strategic Initiatives. “All regions in the state have shown unemployment reductions since August 2011.”

The largest jobless decreases over the year occurred in the Monroe, Jackson and Battle Creek areas.

In the Southwest Region, Lenawee County was among a few counties that saw significant job growth in August, said analyst Leonidas Murembya. He said temporary jobs in agriculture may be a factor in job growth in Lenawee and St. Joseph counties.

Seasonal labor force reductions contributed to the decline in jobless rates in the region, he stated in his report. Lenawee County was among those with the smallest labor force reductions for the month at 150. Kalamazoo County lost 1,750 from its labor force and Jackson and Calhoun counties lost 800 each.

Lenawee County’s August labor force of 43,667 was down about 250 from August last year. There were an estimated 39,814 employed workers in the county in August, a gain of 547 from August last year.

Lenawee County’s 8.8 percent jobless rate put it in 39th place among Michigan’s 83 counties in August. Washtenaw County was second with a 5.9 percent jobless rate.

Monroe County’s jobless rate declined to 8.1 percent, putting it in 27th place. Jackson County was in 31st place with an 8.3 percent jobless rate. And Hillsdale County was 53rd with a 9.4 percent rate.